Veterans

Background

​The Department of Veterans Affairs operates the nation’s largest health care system, with more than 1,700 hospitals, clinics, community living centers, and other facilities, serving 8.76 million Veterans every year. Yet the nation’s Veterans do not have access to the recommended treatment for heart failure in African Americans because it is excluded from the VA’s National Drug Formulary.

Despite serving a significant population of African American Veterans, the VA does not include certain essential medications in its National Drug Formulary. The VA’s decision to exclude these life-saving treatments, preventing access for Veterans, relies on questionable studies that contradict the recommendations of leading cardiovascular specialty societies.

Next Steps

It is imperative that the VA National Drug Formulary be revised to include fixed-dose combination hydralazine and isosorbide dinitrate so that all African American Veterans may benefit from recommended drug treatment for their condition. We encourage the VA dismantle barriers to this life-saving medication and ensure equal access for all.